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SCS Simulation News - October, 2001 - Volume 2, Issue 10

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SCS Simulation News
October, 2001 - Volume 2, Issue 10
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Welcome to this month's SCS Simulation News.  This electronic
newsletter is published monthly and sent to your email address.

Our purpose is to keep SCS members and others in the modeling and
simulation communities up to date on the activities of the Society for
Modeling and Simulation International.  Please forward this newsletter
to friends, peers and colleagues with interests in modeling and
simulation.

Please send comments and suggestions to the newsletter editor,
Bob Lipset--mailto:Newsletter.Editor@scs.org
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Newsletter Contents

1.  News and developments in modeling and simulation
2.  Upcoming conferences
3.  Publications
4.  About SCS
5.  Membership in SCS
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1.  News and developments in modeling and simulation

* An important letter from Steve Branch, executive director of SCS:

   The Next Fifty Years

   As SCS concludes its first half-century of existence, we should stop
   for a moment to evaluate our success in serving the modeling and
   simulation community. Judging by the ever-expanding applications of
   modeling and simulation, it would appear we have done our job well.
   Modeling and Simulation is applied to a wide-range of professional
   and technical areas. Witness the aerospace and automotive industries,
   where today, no major investment will be made without the support of
   a simulation study.  The world now understands that modeling and
   simulation is an indispensable tool for analyzing and understanding
   the operation of dynamic systems.

   To keep pace with the rapid changes in both the discipline and
   technology in general, the SCS Board of Directors embarked on
   reshaping your society. It started at the 2000 Annual Board meeting
   when the name of "The Society for Computer Simulation International"
   was changed to "The Society for Modeling and Simulation
   International."  The new name reflects the modern terminology of our
   profession, as well as a vision in which The Society will become the
   premier organization for providing the intellectual foundation,
   knowledge-base and array of services to the modeling and simulation
   community - professionals, researchers, educators, indeed anyone with
   an interest in modeling and simulation.

   This was followed by a re-evaluation of every product, service and
   production unit in order to better serve the modeling and simulation
   community of the next fifty years.  The leadership of SCS, with the
   Vice Presidents of our major service lines leading the way, has
   spent the better part of a year developing and implementing new tools
   and approaches to make our products and services fit today?s world.
   With that focus, and at the urging of the SCS membership, we have
   moved to expand our publication offerings to include a general
   interest publication containing news, product introductions,
   technology breakthroughs, etc., in addition to the excellent research
   and archival articles that were the mainstay of both our journals,
   SIMULATION (centered on applications) and TRANSACTIONS (centered on
   theory and methodology) . This new publication is called Modeling and
   Simulation Magazine, and will officially replace SIMULATION journal
   as the membership publication of SCS with its first mailing in
   January 2002.  The first preview issue of Modeling & Simulation
   Magazine first appeared as an insert in the February issue of
   SIMULATION. Plans are in place to allow for monthly web updates,
   with quarterly printed issues offering a compilation of web articles,
   as well as news and information on other modeling and simulation
   community and society activities.

   This January 2002 date is also when we will combine our two research
   publications to one single archival, refereed journal, titled
   SIMULATION: Transactions of The Society for Modeling and Simulation
   International.  The new journal will bring together in one place both
   theoretical and technical articles that have direct relevance to the
   practice of Modeling and Simulation.

   The VP of Membership has worked with the office staff to revamp the
   individual and corporate membership programs of SCS, focusing on the
   implementation of an electronic access base level of service, with
   delivery of printed products available as enhanced membership service
   options.  In this new model, the base cost of annual SCS membership
   has been reduced to $55.  The membership benefits at this level
   include: electronic access to the new monthly flagship publication
   called M&S Magazine, limited access to the new SCS online
   publications archive (articles from current year?s SCS conference
   proceedings only) and discounts on the full range of SCS products
   (e.g., books, conference registration, etc.).  SCS members are
   encouraged to acquire additional useful services by subscribing to
   either of two enhanced service options (ESO's).

   These upgraded membership levels are designed as follows:

   ESO #1 (additional annual fee is $40):
   Annual dues total $95 (USD) for this ?Professional" level of
   membership in SCS, this service level provides the member with
   the printed version of M&S Magazine delivered quarterly,
   as well as unlimited access to the SCS online publications archive.

   ESO #2 (additional annual fee is $140):
   Annual dues total $195 (USD) for this ?Premiere" level of membership
   in SCS, this service level provides the member with the printed
   version of M&S Magazine delivered quarterly, unlimited access to the
   SCS online publication archive, and both printed version and
   electronic access to the new archival journal "SIMULATION:
   Transactions of The Society for Modeling and Simulation?, as provided
   by Sage Science Press.

   It is worth noting that while many things have changed others still
   remain the same. For instance, SCS still retains its not-for-profit
   status, meaning some portion of your membership fees may be tax
   deductible, and the SCS Board of Directors will continue to be
   elected bi-annually, by you the SCS Membership.  Also in this
   newsletter, you will find a letter from the Chair of the SCS
   Nominating Committee regarding the 2002 SCS Board of Directors
   Election.  I urge you to take this election process seriously, and
   take action by nominating those persons that you feel will not only
   help to lead SCS into the next millennium, but those who can also
   help the modeling and simulation industry continue to grow in size,
   relevance and accomplishments.  With your interest, participation and
   leadership, I look forward to SCS continuing to lead the charge of
   modeling and simulation to the technological forefront.

   SCS has been making simulation work for fifty years?and counting.

   Sincerely,

   Stephen T. Branch
   SCS Executive Director
   Comments? Email me at mailto:sbranch@scs.org

* From Axel Lehmann, Chair of the SCS Nominating Committee:

   SCS NEWS: ELECTIONS 2002

   Dear SCS Members,

   Since 1994, as most of you already know, elections for officers of
The Society
   and for Directors by membership are held on a biennial basis in
accordance with
   the terms of office specified in The Society's bylaws. In accordance
with its
   strategic planning and following a recommendation of the Executive
Committee
   in July this year during its annual meeting, the Board of Directors
passed a
   bylaws change:

   Starting in July 2002 with the new Board, each Member Council-the
Geographical,
   Technical and Autonomous ones-will be represented by one elected
member on the
   Board of Directors.

   Accordingly, at the next elections in spring 2002, each SCS member
has a vote
   on positions including:

   *  President
   *  Senior Vice President
   *  Geographical Member Council (GMC)
   *  up to 2 Technical Member Councils (TMC)
   *  up to 6 Directors-at-Large

   It is extremely important for The Society's members to vote for their
   representatives and leadership for the next two-year period in April
next year.

   It is just as important for the members to help the Nominating
Committee and the
   Member Councils in the selection of a list of active and quality
candidates.
   Therefore, membership can respond by submitting the names of
candidates for the
   election positions mentioned above. As you select your candidates for
nomination,
   in addition to thinking about the individual's reputation and
professional or
   technical background, also think about the candidate's contribution
to a Member
   Council or to The Society. For your convenience and for
clarification, you will
   find a complete list of all MCs including their geographical area or
their
   professional/technical area, respectively, on the SCS Website, using
the link
   below.

   After you make your selection of candidates for nomination, fill out
a
   nomination form (also on the SCS Website), for each candidate. The
candidate
   can help provide the information needed. The nomination forms must be
returned
   to the SCS office in San Diego before December 31, 2001. Nominations
for the
   Geographical MC's will be copied and also forwarded by the San Diego
office
   to the Council chair.

   The Nominating Committee will attempt to assess the qualifications
and the
   experience of the nominees as completely as possible, and to
recommend the
   best available candidates for The Society's leadership team.

   Information on the slates of candidates recommended by the Nominating
Committee
   may be obtained from the SCS office following the Nominating
Committee meeting
   at the 2002 WMC (January 27-31 in San Antonio, Texas). Anyone who was
nominated
   but has not been added to the Final List of Nominations will be
informed by the
   Nominating Committee no later than January 31, 2002.

   A candidate can be added to the Nominating Committee's slate of
candidates if
   s/he receives valid signatures of 2% of the total SCS membership (via
letter
   or fax), and returns the petition, along with a completed nomination
form, to
   the Nominating Committee (in care of the SCS Office in San Diego) by
the
   end of February 2002. The election, via mail ballot by all the
membership for
   all vacant positions in addition to the election of Regional Council
Chairman,
   will be held in April 2002.

   The nomination form can be found on the SCS Website at
   http://www.scs.org/election/membercouncils.html
   Axel Lehmann, Chairman, SCS Nominating Committee

* SCS announces new publication:

   The Society for Modeling and Simulation International is now
gathering
   information to create the single most complete source of computer
modeling
   and simulation information, and we would like your help in making it
the most
   comprehensive directory of its kind. The SCS "Modeling & Simulation
Resource
   Directory" is designed to be a guide to choosing the best software,
hardware
   and services available for specific modeling and simulation needs. It
contains
   software titles, service descriptions and contact information, with
all entries
   listed alphabetically and also in an easy to use application index.
   Descriptive listings in the directory are free, and advertising space
is
   available for those organizations who wish to augment their basic
listing in
   the directory.  If your company produces an appropriate product or
service, or
   if you know an organization who does, the directory listing form
found on the
   SCS website explains how to get your free listing in this new
directory.
   Deadline for listing information is November 30, 2001. Go to
http://www.scs.org
   for more information on this directory.

* The National Science Foundation has awarded the Arizona Center for
   Integrative Modeling and Simulation and the Society for Modeling and
   Simulation, International a grant to hold a "Workshop on Modeling and
   Simulation of Ultra-Large Networks: Challenges and New Research
   Directions."  The objective of the workshop is to formulate
   significant and compelling research directions for consideration in
   future NSF funding priorities in the Advanced Network Infrastructure
   Research (ANIR) program.  For more information, contact Bernard P.
   Zeigler, mailto:zeigler@ece.arizona.edu

* The Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) will host the 11th
   annual Executive Forum on Modeling and Simulation, June 17-19, 2002
   in Norfolk, Va.  The forum, formerly the DMSO Industry Days, is the
   Defense Department's premier event for federal government, industry
   and academic executives, to gain insight into the Department's
   modeling and simulation policies, plans, programs and initiatives.
   http://www.dmso.mil/

* The nomination period for the 2001 Department of Defense Modeling
   and Simulation (M&S) Awards will close on Dec. 7.  Awards will be
   presented during the 11th annual Executive Forum on M&S in June,
2002.
   http://www.dmso.mil/
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2.  Upcoming conferences

* 2001 Winter Simulation Conference
   December 9 - 12, 2001
   Arlington, Virginia
   http://www.wintersim.org

* 2002 Western Multiconference (WMC 2002)
   January 27 - 31, 2002
   San Antonio, Texas
   http://www.scs.org/confernc/wmc02/wmc2002cfp.html

* 2002 AI, Simulation and Planning in High Autonomy Systems (AIS'2002)
   April 7 - 10, 2002
   Lisbon, Portugal
   http://ais2002.dei.uc.pt

* 2002 Advanced Simulation Technology Conference (ASTC '02)
   April 14 - 18, 2002
   San Diego, California
   http://www.scs.org/confernc/astc02/cfp/astc2002cfp-gen.html

* 2002 American Control Conference (ACC 2002)
   May 8 - 10, 2002
   Anchorage, Alaska
   http://www.ent.ohiou.edu/~acc2002/
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3.  Publications

Watch this area over the next few months for more information about
the roll-out of these new SCS publications:

* Modeling and Simulation Magazine.  The second issue has been
published.
   View it online at http://www.modelingandsimulation.org/
* SIMULATION: Transactions of The Society for Modeling and
   Simulation, International.  This new monthly publication will unify
   the society's research efforts, beginning in January 2002.
* Our web vault is at http://scs.affinitycity.com  Check it out.
   It will store our growing collection of journal and proceedings
   articles.
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4.  About SCS

* The Society for Modeling and Simulation International is a
   professional society dedicated to the advancement of
   modeling and simulation in all fields.  Read our mission statement
   at http://www.scs.org/mission/missioninfo.html
* Learn more about the SCS organization at
   http://www.scs.org/org/orginfonew.html
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5.  Membership in SCS

* Membership in SCS is open to a wide range of professionals.
   For more information, including an online application, visit
   http://www.scs.org/membrshp/membinfo.html